Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6,859, Nicholas Fry, N.C.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N 6.
Fry, Nicholas.
8 6 859
Bonin Peur.
Carded
CONTENTS

North Carolina Nicholas Fry of Burke Co in the State of N.C. a who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain W m Farland of the Reg t commanded by Col. A. M c Dowell in the N.C. a line for 6 months
Inscribed on the Roll of North Carolina at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of Aug t 1838 and said Nicholas Fry Lovelady Burke N.C. a Arrears to the 4th of March 1838 $140.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept t " 10.00
$150.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Acc d June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. H. Adams Clerk, Book C Vol. 6/2 Page 54

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed 7 June 1832
State of north carolina
Union County
on this 21 day of May 1838 personally appeared before me Groves Bowman one of the justices of the county court of pleas and quarter sessions Nicholas Frye of the said county and state aged ninety two years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed 7 June 1832 viz that he entered the service of the united States about some of the last days of April or the first days of May 1781 was called out by draft in the county of Lincoln and was put under captain Smith at Davidsonsfort or the upper station to defend that place from the murders and ravages of the Cherokee Indians for the term of four months - captain Smith soon got married and went to Iredell county with his wife and then captain McFarland took the command of us and sometime in the forepart of the month of Sep- tember Col McDowell came there and wanted all the men that could be spared & that was willing to go with him a three months tour he said against the tory Scotch captain McFarland said that he would discharge all that had been there for three months and upwards and that he would go with McDowell and those that were dis- charged might go if they pleased - and the captain and several of us went right forth with onto Salisbury and there we were mustered into the ranks of general Rutherford and we then proceeded to march down through the Scotch settlements through the counties of Montgomery Richmond Cumberland and Johnson and others that I cant recollect we expected from report that as the British was in Wilmington that the would embody and go to them but they did not attempt to do so - we met Col Arne Strong as we went down and he was on his way home he had scourged among them and had got them entirely passive - we went within five or six miles of Wilmington and some of the scouts went to Cape Fear river opposite the town and shot across the river at the British but they were out of reach - Some where about the twentyeth or twenty fifth of October the glad news of the capture of Cornwallis at Little York in Virginia came which gladness was witnessed much firing of platoons and many husars which was one of the great memori- als of our tour - we continued to Rodg and reconiter through the lower part of the state until towards the twentyeth of december then we were moved up into Macklenburg county near Bates ford on the Catawba river and there the most of us from Lincoln & Burke county were dis- charged with the exception of a few that had the charge of some publick wagons - my self and others went home from Bates ford - this was called the Wilmington or Scotch campaign Thus ends my services in the old revolution - four months at the fort & three at Wilming- ton - Interrogation - where and in what year were you born - I was born in pennsylvania state and the county of Berks & born in the February the 2 nd day 1746 have you any record of your age and if so where is it - I was born of and educated by German parents and I have a German Bible and my name and age is in it as you see stated in the above answer - where were you living when called into service - where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live.

my father moved from the State of Pennsylvania when I was fifteen years old and settled in North Carolina in Lincoln county and when I grew up I settled in the said county and when called into Service and I have lived there ever since until about nine or ten months ago then I moved up into Burke county to live with my son-in-law for I am now so old and infirm that I must have some person to take care of me - how were you called into Service were you drafted did you volunteer - or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom - for my first trip or tour of four months as I have stated I was called out by draft from the county of Lincoln State North Carolina on the last days of April or the first days of May in 1781 for four months and my second tour I volunteered three three months at the fort where I served my forefathers months at the fort - to go with Captain McFarland to Wilmington - State the names of the regular officers - who were with the troops where you served - such as continental and militia regiments as you can recollect - and the general circumstances of your Service - as to officers while I was at the fort there was none to be seen but those that commanded the fort Col. Davidson did come once to see us - and Col. McDowell came to get volunteers and as for our three months tour there were but very few troops or officers for they were mostly gone to the siege at Little York in Virginia - we met Col. Arms Strong and his division of militia on their way home I saw some other officers but I cannot recollect their name nor grades - General Pickens came to see Gen Rutherford but I don't know whether he then had any command or not - as for general circumstances I believe there is none more than is stated in the foregoing declaration - there was one circumstance happened at the fort one of our men and Margaret Davidson's negro man went to the mill pond to shoot ducks and the Indians shot the white man and he died that night - did you ever receive a discharge from your services and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it - I received my discharge for my four months tour at the fort from Captain McFarland - and for my tour of three months at Wilmington I was discharged by Colonel McDowell - but both of my discharges are lost or mislaid so that I cannot find them - the fact is when the war was over and peace made I did not know that they would ever be wanted - why have you not made application for a pension before now - I did - about four years ago I went to Abel Shuford Esq. one of the justices of the county of Lincoln and took an old soldier with me to prove my services at Wilmington - I thought perhaps my oath to the declaration might do but the Esq. told me that I must prove both my tours by aliveing witness or I could get nothing and that there was nothing allowed for any term or terms of service for less than six months - so I declined any further trial - for I did not at that time know of any man aliveing that was at the fort - but since I have come to Burke county to live I have heard of an old man by the name of Jacob Grider up towards the mountains - and there was a man of that name with me in the fort and I have sent to inquire of him and he is the same Grider that was with me in the fort and went with Capt. McFarland & others of us to Wilmington - now in as much as my discharges are lost I do expect to procure the depositions of Jacob Grider to prove my tour of four months at the fort and my three months under Gen. Rutherford - & there is an old blind man by the name of Sherwood Bowman that was with us under Gen. Rutherford - the old man that went with me to Esq. Shuford was named George Thard he is since dead - did you ever receive a commission & if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it - no I done all my services as a private soldier

State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolutionary war - I think that Alexander Abernathy will testify for me as a clergyman and Philip Warlick Esqr & John Berry - for private neighbours
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State but this present claim that I now make in the State of northcarolina. Sworn to and subscribed this day and year first above written.
Before me
Gro. Bowman J.P.P.C.
Nicholis Fry
We Alexander Abernathy a clergyman residing in the county of Burke and State of north carolina, and Philip Warlick & John Berry, residing in the said county and State, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with nicholis fry who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration. That we believe him to be about ninety years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year noted in the declaration above written.
Sworn to Before me
Gro. Bowman J.P.P.C.
Alexander Abernathy Philip Warlick Esqr & John Berry
State of northcarolina } These are to certify that I groves Bowman one of the justices of the county court of pleas and quarter sessions for the said county, hath this day attended to the making out a declaration for nicholis fry, in order for him to obtain the benefit of the act of congress passed the 7 June 1832. I do certify that the said fry is so very old and infirm that he cannot attend the court to make to make his declaration. he is now a citizen of Burke county - he is superannuated, and become to a state of inanimation, age reduced him to almost a shadow or skeleton, it is generally believed by his old neighbours that he was a soldier of the revolution and served as he states, and I do further certify that Alexander Abernathy is a clergyman and is a resident of our county who assigned the above certificate, and that Phillip Warlick Esqr & John Berry who has also signed are residents of the same county of Burke, and that they are credible persons and that their statements is entitled to credit - certified by me this 21 st day of may 1835
Gro. Bowman J.P.P.C.

State of North Carolina } S. Joseph S. Egan Clerk Burke County } of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, for said County do hereby certify that Grover Bowman who man in appearance appeared to the foregoing of proceedings is an acting justice of the peace duly appointed & qualified to law and that his depositions are taken before me this 23rd day of May 1838 at my hand & seal this 23rd day of May 1838 S. Egan Clerk of Pleas Corresp. Corresp.  State of North Carolina } on this 23rd day of May 1838 personally appeared before me Grover Burke County } Bowman one of the justices in and for said county Jacob Grider and after being duly sworn according to law he deposeth as follows viz: that he served a tour of duty in the militia service at the fort called the upper station in Burke county a term of upwards of five months in the Spring and Summer of 1781, part of the time under captain Smith and part under captain McFarland and that Nicholas Fry served there with him in the militia service the same Spring and Summer and under the same officers the term of four months and that McFarland discharged them both in the first part of the month of September, and that they Grider and Fry did forth with go onto Salisbury with the Col. McDowell and their captain McFarland and they served a three months tour together under Gen. Rutherford in what was called the Wilmington Expedition. Sworn to and Subscribed this date above written  Sworn to Before me } Gro. Bowman JPS  Jacob Grider his mark
State of North Carolina } on this 23rd day of May 1838 personally appeared before me Grover Burke County } Bowman one of the justices in and for said county Sherwood Bowman and after being duly sworn as the direct's he deposeth and sayeth as follows viz that he was called into the militia service in the month of September 1781 and rendezvoused at Salisbury and served three months tour under captain McFarland and that Nicholas Fry was a soldier and served full term of three months under the same captain McFarland this depo- nant further sayeth not. Sworn to and Subscribed this date above written  Sworn to Before me } Gro. Bowman JPS  Sherwood Bowman his mark

Reuben
6859
INVALID.
cur
File No. 6859
Nicholas Fry Pri New War
Act: June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. 1 st , Page 132
[Arrangement of 1870.]

July 21 st day 1838 Burke county S.C.
Sir
Your letter of the 3 rd instant come to hand on the 17 th instant: and I made it known to Nicholas Ferry as soon as was convenient and read the contents to him: and when he had heard it he reflected for a moment: and said: that he would be glad if I would inform the war department that it is a matter out of the question for him to go to court in his present situation: a distance of at least twenty miles: and he is bowed down now with the age of ninety two years upon his old withered body so that he is intirely superannuated & done he only can go a little about the house with out help = And he calmly replied further that if he was able to go he would go willingly - but he dont beleive that either of his witnesses could go to court for Sherwood Bowman is now eighty years of age and reduced to much bodily affliction & that he is blind and has been for near twenty years that he cannot tell day from night = and Jacob Grider is near about the same age and his health much impaired and his strength reduced by rumatism so that he can go about but very little = and applicant and witnesses all a long distance from the court house for old for worn mens attend = Mr. Ferry further states that as there is no possibility of him giting to court to make his declaration: that he wishes the department to consider his case and as they have red the contents of his declaration and if they think that any amendment can be made to they can make it known by an answer to these lines: and he will make any amendment or addition that may appear to him to be consistent = I think that if my memory serves me right I have seen in a form prepared by the department for making out declarations stating that it is the proper plan to make declarations before the court = but where a man is not able to go to court he must make his declaration before a judge or a justice of the peace and I thought that this case of old Mr. Ferry imbrased this provision and I still think so: because I have known severral pensions granted under that proviso = I have known Nicholas Ferry for more than forty years while he lived in lincoln and since he has come into Burke and from his current conversation with old men I do beleive that he was a Soldier of the revolution and his old lincoln -

neighbours say that they do believe that he was a soldier of the revolution I have two brothers that was out in the wellington expedition I have heard them both say that this same N. Fry was with them - and there fell a snow in a night and some person stole frys shoes and he had to march next day in his stocking feet
Sir I am very respectfully your obedient Servt G. Bowman for Nicholas Fry
To J. L. Edwards Commissioner of pensions

Nicholas Fry
NC
Mar 6 mo 1820
Private
Some lady will pay 23rd 1835 free
Aug 6
NC Nicholas Fry 7 June 1832
To
J. S. Burrows Commissioner of
Pensions Washington City
D. S. Columbia

23 rd July 1838 Burke City N-6-
Sir when I first commenced writing to you by way of letter I then thought to retain the declaration untill I got your answer but Since then I have thought proper to send it along to you and you can tell me in your next answer how it will be disposed of
I am your H m Serv t
Nicholas his X Gury mark
J. L. Edwards commissioner of pensions